


Field Research

by G_the_G



Series: Avengers University [7]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Thor (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - College/University, Beardy Professor Steve Rogers, Bucky Barnes Is a Good Bro, Crack, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Crack, Grad Student Darcy, Professor Jane Foster, and a little shit
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-05
Updated: 2017-04-05
Packaged: 2018-10-15 06:11:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,816
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10551412
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/G_the_G/pseuds/G_the_G
Summary: What happens when Darcy tags along while playing host for Thor? Accidental run-ins that make things become a THING.





	

Darcy walked along the grass, face tipped to catch more sunlight. Her sandals swung in one hand as she and Jane trailed behind Thor, who was already calling out to someone and jogging off, excited to jump into the action. Who knew that frisbee was apparently a thing in Europe as well? And that the visiting professor would have such an interest in playing it while stateside? While she and Jane were thoroughly opposed to joining in, it was the first bright, sunny day of spring so they were happy enough to watch the Scandinavian human puppy play. Jane for lascivious reasons. Darcy for moral support, and maybe a few ogles. It didn’t hurt that this was her first day where she’d been able to go outside without a box of tissues in her bag, so she was going to revel in her returned health. And while it would be far too cool in a couple of hours for the shorts and tanktop she was wearing, in that moment, she was enjoying the warmth of the sun on her skin. 

“Yo, Rogers. Heads up!”

The shout was from someone on the field, and she turned automatically at the name, but never would have expected what she saw. One Dr. Steve Rogers was in the middle of a spectacular leaping grab for a frisbee. One shirtless Dr. Steve Rogers. There were tattoos. There was chest hair. She was not capable of processing it.

“Jane,” she hissed, blindly catching her friend's arm as she closed her eyes and squeezed. 

“Ow, Darce! What the hell.”

Her eyes were shut tight, but the image was firmly burnt into her memory. “Please tell me that is not Steve out there. Running around all glisteny and shirtless.”

“What? Where?” 

Still not able to look, she felt her friend dramatically turn her body, once again ignoring any attempt at subtlety.

“Oooooh. Okay. I’m starting to understand more of the fascination now. If you'd told me about the shoulder and ab combination I would have caught on a lot sooner. Though something tells me Thor may give him a run for his money." Her voice trailed off as a new thought came up. "If he'd take off his shirt i could give you a truly scientific opinion.”

“As much as i would love to make fun of how your dry spell is affecting your cognitive function, I'm gonna need you to focus right about now. Because this is bad. This is _so_ bad.”

“Why? Now you can better picture what he’d look like after you two got done with an in-depth study of the human form. All sweaty and-”

“Jane!”

Her friend finally cut off her imaginative tale with a snicker.

“I have to go. I  _ cannot  _ let him see me here.”

“It might be a bit late for that”

“What?” her eyes flew open, just in time to make unavoidable eye contact.

“Darcy?” His head jerked mildly in surprise and he froze for a moment.

She forced her clenched fingers to finally let go of Jane's arm so she could give an awkward wave.

“Hey,” she managed to say, barely above a whisper so there was no way he could have heard it. But it didn't matter since he was running over. 

This was so  _ so  _ bad.

“Hey,” he said, not even a little out of breath as he jogged up with a bright smile. “What brings you here?”

“Oh, I, uh, came with Jane and, uh, Dr. Odinson.”

Steve turned to Jane, holding out a hand. “Dr. Foster, right? We met last year at the fundraising party Tony stark hosted?”

“That's right!” Jane exclaimed as she shook his offered hand, clearly not having remembered that fact before his comment. “That was when he said my designs wouldn't work and _insisted_ he could make it better.”

He sighed with a small grimace, placing his hands on his hips. “Sounds like Stark.” His muscles shifted as he moved and Darcy became distracted by the effect and the tattooed script under one collarbone. She wondered how had she not noticed that before but then was again distracted by how there was sweat that had begun trickling down, before quickly looking up somewhere over his shoulder and knowing she was gonna hate her life later. That was a visual her mind wasn't letting go anytime soon.

“You guys play ultimate frisbee?” 

“No,” Jane emphatically responded. She never had time to talk about sports. And since she was already annoyed from the memory of Stark, it wasn’t a surprise her attention was shifting as she turned to the field and the players still running around. No doubt anxiously trying to ensure their guest was being well entertained. And seeing if he’d decided to join the shirtless crew. For science.

But that meant the conversation would be up to Darcy. She could do it. She could totally do it. Or at least she hoped she could. She forced herself to make eye contact with a smile. Eye contact was safe right? She just had to avoid looking anywhere else. And hope she was able to hear whatever he was saying over the rushing sound in her ears and the manic beating of her heart. She could do it. “Jane tends to have bad experiences with any physical endeavors that require a lot of coordination. And I can't catch anything to save my life. Dr. Odinson plays though, so we decided to come support.”

“Ever the good hosts.”

“Absolutely. Gotta stop DC university from stealing all our visiting academics.”

“Well I'm sure we have a fighting chance with you two on the job.”

He smiled, and moved his hands off his hips, but she didn’t dare see what he was actually doing with his hands for fear of unrestrained and inevitable ogling. She’d originally thought his eyes and lips a dangerous combo, but was now learning the foolishness of that thought.

“Missed you in class the last couple weeks.”

“Oh,” she paused praying that the blush she felt starting wouldn’t show. “Yeah, I got that killer flu that’s been going around. Wound up spending most of my time sniffling to myself in my apartment and subsisting off tea and crackers.”

He nodded his head in understanding and then grinned. “Well I’m glad you’re feeling better." He hesitated, and since she was so focused on his eyes, she didn't miss the quick glance downward that was clearly taking in all of her and her outfit. "You don’t look too worse for wear.”

She froze, not sure what to say that. Because while she definitely had a full blush going, she knew where she was sorely tempted go with that train of thought. Attempting to flirt full steam ahead seemed like an obvious choice. But that would be getting into dangerous territory. Especially if he didn't really mean it. Hoping for a reprieve, she looked for Jane, but her friend had stepped a few feet away, still anxiously tracking Thor with her eyes. Crap. 

Thankfully, Steve filled the silence after what felt like an eternity but was only a brief pause. “But it'll be nice to have you back in class. None of the undergrads get my puns.”

She let out a breath. That was a much safer topic.

“Cretins.” He laughed, more than she thought her comment warranted, but she’d take it. “However, I'm still trying to play catch up. Art class may have to wait at least another week.”

He tsked and shook his head. “There never seems to be enough time does there?"

"Nope. Especially not after missing a couple of weeks right before the end of the semester. I just have to suck it up and do things that aren't nearly as interesting."

"Yeah, it's the same for all the greats.  You do know why Gutenberg wasn't an artist, right?”

“Uh, no, why?”

“Because he always had more pressing matters.”

It took a second, but the nerves still fluttering in her stomach added to her genuine appreciation of the unexpected joke, and she soon found herself wiping tears from her eyes. His answering smile showed _his_ appreciation of _her_ appreciation. She couldn't help biting her lip a little at that, it was unavoidable. But then someone was yelling something repeatedly in the distance.

“Steve. Hey. Hey!”

A frisbee suddenly pegged him in the back of the head, and Darcy wasn't sure if she was grateful for the interruption or not. And while her thoughts were processing, clicking into place one by one, she suddenly found that her hand was on his bicep. His large, warm, and contracting bicep.

“You okay?” she managed to ask through her supreme efforts to keep her from pulling her hand back suddenly and making this a thing. Or, heaven forbid, actually squeezing the muscle her fingers were itching to explore.

“Yeah,” he muttered as he rubbed his head. 

A professor she'd seen around campus a couple times came jogging up, still grinning at his friend's pain.

“Shoulda been paying attention, punk.” 

When Steve only flipped him off, the newcomer turned to Darcy. “Bucky Barnes. Pleasure to meet you.”

He held out his hand and Darcy realized she was still holding onto Steve's bicep. Shit. She yanked her hand away this time, trying to complete a normal handshake while sure her entire face, neck, and shoulders that were on clear display were flaming red.

“Uh, hi. Nice to meet you, too. Darcy Lewis.” She frantically looked around, but didn’t see Jane or anyone else who could save her from herself. “Yep. Darcy Lewis. That's my name. But I gotta go.”

“What? The next game is just about to start,” Steve said.

“Yeah,” his friend added with a smirk. “Things were just about to get interesting.”

There was some movement and a quiet grunt, but Darcy was too busy looking for Jane to really process it. She finally spotted the scientist, a good hundred feet away, deep in discussion with a very excited Thor. There went any chance of a good excuse or distraction.

“I, uh, have a paper I've been putting off reworking. I should really go.”

It looked like Steve was going to say something, but her ability to put more than two words together had failed her so she hurriedly cut him off. “Okay. So. Bye!” The words burst out overly brightly, before she gave a quick half-wave and turned on her heel. Darcy promised herself she would not run away. Just a brisk walk until she got home and could text Jane and try to forget that any of that had happened. 

But she knew she was lying to herself and broke into a run as soon as she got past the fence at the edge of the field. It wasn't until she was halfway across campus that she realized she was still barefoot with her sandals in her hand.


End file.
